Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

We are working on learning our letters.  I like to introduce a letter a day and then we go back and reteach the letters throughout the year.  While introducing the first few letters, we are reading "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault.  It's a favorite!

Most of my students have never seen or touched an actual coconut.  I brought one to school and let the students each hold it and shake it.  They were astounded that they could hear the liquid inside.

We did some experiments today with coconuts.  First, we tested whether a coconut would sink or float in water.  We wrote our question, made a guess, and then performed our experiment.

After all that hard work, we needed a snack.  :)  We each tried some coconut.

We made our first class graph with the question "Do you like coconut?"  (This came from Julie Lee.)

We had a lot of fun with our Chicka Chicka Boom Boom activities.  It was a lot of fun!  Next week we are moving on to "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?"  Check back next week to see all our color fun!

Have a great weekend!

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First Week Back at School

Well I have officially been back to work for one week.  We started last Tuesday.  The days are flying by.  So much so that I realized I haven't really taken any pictures of the activities we have been doing.

Last week, we taught the kinder babies all about the school rules.  We also assessed them and then split them into two classes.  I have 19 wonderful little pumpkins in my class this year.  Yep....only 19 (at least right now...it could always change :).

We took all the kinder babies pictures with this cute backdrop my teaching partner made.  Love it!

Yesterday was our first official day separated into the two classes.  It was great!  We practiced procedure after procedure all day long.  We learned how to sit at the carpet and tables.  We learned how to line up and walk in the hallway.  We learned how to take care of our supplies.  I found a great list of procedures from Fun in First.  Click {here} to visit her blog and read all about the procedures you might want to teach at the beginning of the year.  It was so nice to have a list in front of me so I didn't forget anything.  :)

We also reviewed school and classroom rules with a favorite character:  David!  We read "No, David!" and "David Goes to School" both by David Shannon.  We of course made our own little David's from Julie Lee's I am a Peacemaker activity.  I completely forgot to take a picture of these cutie patootie crafts though.  I promise to take a picture and post it soon.

Today we started learning about letters.  I do a quick overview of each letter for 26 days doing one letter a day.  We start with A and then work our way to Z.  Later we go back and do more activities with each letter, but I like to make sure I have at least exposed my students to all 26 letters first.

We made an Aa circle map.  The students came up with ideas of items that start with the letter A.

Seriously, one student came up with the word axel.  I don't know how to draw a car axel or what it even looks like so we just wrote the word.  :)  Oh and please don't tease about my terrible circles....I know they are bad...hehehehe.  I am working on it ;)

I started my first grad class yesterday as well so it has been a busy week.  I might not have the opportunity to blog as much as I would like while taking classes, but I promise I will keep blogging!  It just may only be once a week.

Well I am off to work on my first grad class assignment....wish me luck!

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Time for some Shopping!

I am so excited....the HUGE TpT Back to School Sale is here.

Thank you Krista Wallden for the cute button.

Everything in my store is on sale for 20%.  When you go to check out, enter the promo code BTS13 for an extra percentage off.  Click on the back to school sale button to head to my store and check out the amazing deals.

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Classroom Tour

Warning:  This post contains a lot of pictures.  :)

It is finally time for my full classroom tour.  I am linking up with the fabulous ladies over at Blog Hoppin' to show off my room.  This came at the perfect time because tonight is our "Unpack your Backpack" night.  Students and their parents come in, meet the teachers, and drop off their school supplies so they will be ready for the first day of school tomorrow.  This means that my classroom had to be ready to go as of this morning.  Good thing I was there all day yesterday finishing it up!  :)

Here is a view from the front door.  My calendar area is to the right as you walk in the door.

Ignore that table right in front.  It is only there for backpack night and then will be moved against the wall for my writing center.

Here is a view from my back door.  To the right is my reading area.

Here are some close-up pictures from around the room.

The lunch count tags are from A Cupcake for the Teacher and the Birthday Board idea is from Erica Bohrer.

This poster is from Yoga Kids.  If you haven't been to their website, you need to go!  Amazing.  I use yoga in my classroom every day!

As you might already know, I have a student teacher this fall so I made her this "survival kit" courtesy of Rachelle from What the Teacher Wants.

I am off to our teacher inservice day.  I can't believe my summer is officially over.  It flew by in an instant.

I hope you link up with Blog Hoppin' as well.  I love getting a peek into everyone's classrooms.  :)

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Meet the Teacher

I am excited to link up with Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week '13.  Last year I loved reading all the posts and this year I decided to join in on the fun.

Today's topic is Meet the Teacher.  You just need to share 10 things about yourself!

1.  I am starting my seventh year of teaching tomorrow.  This will be my fourth year teaching kindergarten.  I have also taught first grade and third grade.  My heart definitely belongs in kindergarten!

2.  I have taught at the same school for every year except one.  All my years have been in the same district though.

3.  I LOVE my family.  I don't know what I would do without them.  I have two beautiful children and an amazingly supportive husband who just "gets" me.  They are the best.

4.  I start every day with a cup of coffee and almond joy coffee creamer.  Yum!  If I haven't had my coffee, then you may not want to talk to me yet.  I won't be coherent enough to even remember what you say.  :)

5.  Dark chocolate is my favorite and I keep Dove Dark Chocolate promises in my "desk" at all times.  It is the perfect little snack of chocolate for after lunch or just whenever my hand happens to reach inside the drawer.

6.  I am super indecisive.  I think it is what my husband hates the most about me.  {Don't get me wrong, he loves me, but if he could change one thing about me.....it would be this!}  At school, I am not that way, but at home I feel like I can't make a decision........where to go out to eat, what to wear, etc.  I am definitely working on it though.

7.   I start my first grad class in exactly one week.  I am a little nervous that I bit off more than I can chew at the moment, but I know I can make it work somehow.  {That is also a warning that I may not be blogging quite as much this semester.}

8.  My favorite T.V. show is Grey's Anatomy.  I can't wait for the fall so it will be on again.  I hate waiting through the summer for my weekly fix.  Thank goodness for Netflix.  :)

9.  I am not very good at sleeping in.  Ever since I was a child, I have always been "early to bed, early to rise".   My mom said as a little girl I didn't really have a bed time because I would just go up to her and tell her I was tired.  I am still this way.  I like going to bed early and getting up early.  I always feel so productive in the morning while everyone else is sleeping.

10.  I LOVE my job.  I can't see myself ever doing anything else other than teaching.  To me, its not a job, I am just doing what I love.  Obviously, there are days I don't love it as much as others, but I do love it.  :)

Link up with Blog Hoppin' and tell us a little about yourself.  Here is the schedule for the rest of the week.

  

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BTS Room Sneak Peek

I have spent the last two days in professional development.  It was on a new assessment called KIDS.  By the year 2015 - 2015, it will be mandatory in the state of Illinois.  I was quite overwhelmed with the training and need a day or two to process all the information I received so be on lookout for a post all about it in the future.

Other than that, my mind has been pretty much solely focused getting ready for back to school.  I swear that is all my brain thinks about.  Everywhere I go and everything I do my mind somehow works its way back to school stuff and the enormous to-do list associate with it.

I am slowly, but surely working my way through the list.  Most of the list is getting my room ready for next Tuesday night, "Unpack your Backpack" night.  Students come in and bring all their supplies so they are ready for the first day.  My room isn't 100% ready, but it is definitely coming along.  Here is a little sneak peek at my classroom.

I have condensed the "mess" in the room to only my guided reading table.  Here is a peek at that.....haha!

Once I am done finding a home for all this "stuff", all I need to do is finish my bulletin boards.  I am sure I will find a million other things to do, but for now I am going to focus on that.

Also, you may noticed that I have whiteboards now in my room.  I went to Lowe's and purchased shower board for about $11/piece.  I bought 3 pieces and covered two entire chalkboards.  I am excited about how much brighter the room is, but now my boards aren't magnetic.  Here is a pic of my sweet hubby cutting the boards down to size.  :)

Word of Warning:  If you do buy shower board to replace your chalkboards be warned......tape (of any kind) tears it up.  I love the way my word wall turned out, but a couple times I wanted to move the electrical tape a bit and it ripped off the white of the board.  Then today I went to adjust one of the headers slightly and realized the masking tape also did the same thing.  I don't know if this is because of how humid it is or if this is just normal.  If I would have know this would happen then I would not have used the electrical tape.  Oh well.....you live and learn.  And now you all can learn from my mistakes.  :)

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~Five for Friday~

It's baaaaaaaaaaaaack!  Five for Friday.  I had every intention of getting on the computer tonight, reading some blogs, working on some TpT products, and printing a ton.  Then I see Five for Friday and I couldn't help but join in.  :)

1.  I met up with Elizabeth {Kickin' It In Kindergarten} and Erin {It's OWL Good in Kindergarten} this past weekend.  It was great to finally meet face-to-face.  We laughed, talked, and ate some ah-mazing food!

2.  My hubby took me golfing on a golf course for the first time.  I did better than I thought, but still not great.

3.  I have been working in my classroom a lot!  I don't have much to show yet because I have been focusing on organizing and getting rid of unwanted items.  I am almost to the point where I can work on "decorating".  Can't wait to get the room ready!

4.  My little garden is producing a crazy amount of tomatoes.  This is the harvest from just yesterday.  Today I made a big batch of fresh salsa.  It was delicious!

5.  I created some new teacher binder covers that I posted for free on TpT.  Click on the image to go snag them for yourself!  :)

Happy Friday!  Have a fantastic weekend!!!

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It is Currently August....What?

I can not believe that the new school year is approaching so quickly. It seems like just yesterday I was all teary eyed sending off my group into first grade. This summer has literally just flown by. It has gone faster than any other summer I remember. Probably because we were so busy.

 This morning my son asked, "Mama, what day is it?".

 I, of course, replied, "Thursday, August 1st".

 He shouted "WHAT? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! It's August already!"

 I kind of felt the same when I realized what day it was too.

 One wonderful thing about it being August 1st though is that I get to link up with Farley for her August Currently.

Listening - My daughter is watching Pirates of the Caribbean as I type this.  I love these movies!

Loving - Summer isn't over yet and I plan on enjoying the last few days I have with my kiddos.  We are going to do some fun things like mini-golf, play at parks, make homemade big pretzels, etc.

Thinking - I can't believe school starts in 12 days.  That is CRAZY!!

Wanting - It is so hard to go in and finish my room.  I have been very distracted lately with other things and I wish my room fairy would come and finish my room for me.  When I was little sometimes the room fairy would come to room at night and clean it for me.  :)  Where is that darn room fairy when I need her?  She could also come clean some rooms in my house too.....I'm not picky!

Needing - One of the things that has been distracting me is my darn printer.  I don't actually think it is my printer, but something is happening with the printer and computer and I am not able to print.  In fact, today I went and bought a new printer because after two days I couldn't figure out what else it could be but the printer.  Except I set up the new printer and the same thing is happening.  Grrrrrrr.........hard to finish my room when I still need to print and laminate things from my computer.  My hubby has promised to call Apple tomorrow and hopefully they will have some answers for us.  

Back 2 School Must Haves - 

1.  A good bag - Just like Farley, I love me a good bag.  My favorite school bag is the organizing utility tote from Thirty-One.  Here is my new one that I bought for school:

It is hard to see it in the picture, but it says Mrs. Pauley on the front.

2.  Sharpie Pens - My FAVORITE writing utensil.  Can't write in my calendar or make many, many lists without them!

3.  I am a Peacemaker Activity by Julie Lee

I LOVE this activity.  Kids always love the David books and this is a great way to introduce peacemakers and peacebreakers.  We make her anchor charts and hang them by our rules and then we also make the adorable craft in the pack.  Click on the image to grab it for yourself.

And now, I think I shall go to bed.  I will be reading everyone's currently tomorrow.  Can't wait to see your back to school must haves!

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